


Something Magical, Loved Deeply

by themadmage



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adopted Children, Black Hermione Granger, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Hogwarts Era, Mild Ron Bashing Maybe, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Kidnapping, Pureblood Culture (Harry Potter), Pureblood Hermione Granger, Sirius Black Free from Azkaban, Warnings May Change, heritage, hermione-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2020-03-04 22:52:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18822394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themadmage/pseuds/themadmage
Summary: Hermione Granger always knew she was adopted. She didn't know she was also a witch.





	1. Reunited

  _19 September 1990_

"I'm adopted," Hermione said in a matter-of-fact tone to the woman at the door. The woman had been staring at her quite intently ever since she had answered it.

Hermione Granger had always known she was adopted. Well, she'd known for as long as she'd known that children inherited their looks from their parents, which was somewhat earlier than most children would have known. Hermione Granger had also always been smart. Her parents, for their part, hadn't tried to hide the fact of her adoption from their daughter. It would have been difficult - they were white, and their daughter was black. 

"Pardon?" the woman at the door asked in a strong Scottish accent.

"I'm adopted." Hermione repeated. When the woman's expression didn't change, she explained further. "You were looking at me the way people do when they know my mum and dad - or even just one of them, sometimes - and they're trying to decide who I am to them. I've never met you before, so I assume you're here for my parents, and you were wondering if I was the child of a family friend or a distant relative. But I'm adopted."

"Oh," the woman looked a bit flustered, and a bit chastised. "My apologies, miss. You must be Hermione Granger, then?" Hermione nodded, and the woman's brow furrowed very slightly. "I only thought- no, it was silly. My eyes playing tricks. I am here to speak to your whole family about a special school you've been invited to. Are your parents home?"

As if on cue, Emma and Dan Granger came out of the study to see who had been at the door that was keeping their daughter so long, Minerva McGonagall was brought inside, and the introduction could begin. As usual, Professor McGonagall had to turn herself into a cat before the muggle family believed that Hogwarts wasn't a scam or a joke. All three of the Grangers had questions to ask once the first stumbling block had been overcome, which Professor McGonagall answered as easily as ever. 

"You know, when we decided to adopt we'd imagined how our child might be different from us," Dan said jovially, "We never imagined she'd be a witch!"

"Will Hermione be the only student at your school who hasn't grown up with magical parents?" Emma asked, slightly more seriously.

"Not at all," the professor assured her. "Magical children are born to non-magical parents every year. They're called muggle-borns in our society. Hermione's Hogwarts class will be around one-quarter muggle-born. Additionally, around half of the class will be children known as half-bloods, or children with a mixed magical-muggle heritage. The remaining quarter will be from pure-blood families, who have only magical heritage for at least several generations."

"Is it likely that Hermione is a half- or pure-blood by birth?"

"No," Professor McGonagall said, once again looking at Hermione very intently, an odd quality to her voice. "Children who are orphaned in the magical world are nearly always placed with godparents or blood relatives. If Hermione was adopted through the muggle system - it is highly unlikely."

The professor paused. " _Not_ that it makes one whit of a difference to anyone with any sense, in regards to schooling. There is no correlation between blood status and magical ability, or to ability to learn. Some of the children with a magical background may have some understanding of magical theory or familiarity with household spells, depending on what their parents chose to teach them, but others will have gaps in their foundational knowledge which Hermione will have learned at her muggle primary school. The wizarding world has no standardized education prior to age eleven, you see, so in first year we focus heavily on working everyone to a comparable level to their classmates."

 

At  _last_ , Hermione thought, they were going shopping at the magical shopping district, Diagon Alley, that Professor McGonagall had mentioned so early on in their discussion. Her parents had been convinced that a magical school like Hogwarts would be good for her, and that they could send her away to boarding school for ten months of the year without anything horrible happening.

Diagon Alley, once you got past the pub that Professor McGonagall took them to to access it, was absolutely  _brilliant_. Hermione's active mind was fully occupied taking in the sights and sounds - moving advertisements without screens, broomsticks, owls, people in robes - and she couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear as they made their way to the large marble building the professor identified as the bank so her parents could change over some money to the wizarding currency.

Gold in hand, Hermione's ever-practical father suggested they start at the end of the Alley furthest from the entrance and work their way back, which Professor McGonagall approved, so long as they saved the wand shop for last. It was a  _tradition_ , she told them, to save purchasing a wand for the end of the trip. Hermione was a bit disappointed by that - who wouldn't want to get a wand, after all - but at least the bookshop was still earlier in their trip. 

 

The party of four were approaching the wand shop - Hermione and both of her parents laden down with sacks of books from Flourish and Blotts, which Professor McGonagall had charmed with a lightening spell - when a fiercely whispered conversation caught their ears. 

"It  _is_ her, I _know_ it is."

"I think so too, love, but I don't want you to get your hopes up."

The first voice turned nearly angry, then. "Luther Braxton, let go of my arm this instant and let me see our Hermione!"

Hermione, who didn't exactly have a common name, turned to look as she typically did when her named was called out. At the edge of the street, she saw a couple who appeared slightly younger than her parents, the man gripping the woman's arm tightly. When she made eye contact, the woman's breath hitched visibly and Hermione's completely stopped. This woman had Hermione's same eyes, her same nose. She looked to the man, and saw her own cheekbones and chin. Both shared her dark skin. Hermione shook her head slightly, fiercely denying the train of thought that was forming. It wouldn't do to jump to conclusions, she reminded herself. Professor McGonagall had said it was unlikely she had magical parents, and Hermione knew her adoption story. It must be a coincidence - the name, the familiar features, the way the couple was looking at her. The man seemed to be reminding himself of the same thing, while the woman still tried to free her arm from his grip. 

Hermione looked back to the adults she was traveling with. Professor McGonagall was once again looking at her intently, this time shifting her gaze between Hermione and the couple in the street. Her parents watched the whole scene with a visible mixture of confusion, worry, and suspicion. 

"Hermione?" the woman asked again.

"Professor," Emma Granger said roughly. "What is happening here?"

"Perhaps we - the six of us - ought to sit down and discuss that," the professor admitted roughly. 

"My name is Gloriana Braxton," said the woman. She had given up on dislodging her husband from her arm, and simply brought the stunned man with her as she approached the Grangers. "This is my husband Luther. Have you eaten? We could treat you to a meal while we talk- I think there's going to be a lot to say."

The Grangers agreed warily, recognizing the need for answers in each of those present, and the party of six made their way to a nearby cafe whose signs read  _The Dancing Cricket_. 


	2. Explanation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple things I want to mention about this story. 
> 
> 1\. I am not black, and while I will be doing my best to portray the race issues that Hermione would be familiar with and face as accurately and respectfully as possible, I'm sure I won't be perfect. That's the reason this is the first time I've tried writing Hermione as black even though that is how I always picture her. If (when) I mess up, please tell me so that I can fix it. I absolutely do not want my ignorance or unintentional offense to ruin this story.
> 
> 2\. I am also not adopted, though I've done a lot of research on it because I want to adopt a child in the future. So the same things go as above - if I mess up, please tell me. It's a complicated dynamic that I've chosen to tackle, and I'm a bit intimidated by it myself.
> 
> 3\. This story was inspired by several stories I read where a muggle-born character (usually Lily Evans) found out that they were actually pure-blood. They were all fantastic stories. But I noticed that in most of them, the character took on a fairly sudden and significant personality change upon learning about their heritage, and I wanted to try my hand at writing a similar story where they didn't. Because of that, this story is going to be heavy on pure-blood culture, and lighter on plot. Hermione being pure-blood doesn't actually change the story very much.
> 
> 4\. The title for this work came from cobbling together two different quotes about or related to adoption. The first is from Helen Keller, "All that we love deeply becomes a part of us." The second is from Nicole Kidman, "Somehow destiny comes into play. These children end up with you and you end up with them. It's something quite magical."

_19 September 1990_

_Awkward_ was the only way to describe the situation at the table. Everyone ordered their food and waited to be served in tense silence, speaking only when spoken to and then only the bare minimum. Hermione had a million and one questions she wanted to ask, but the atmosphere wasn't right for questions. This was something that almost never happened with the Grangers, but Hermione had encountered it at school, and once when all the girls in her class had been invited to a sleepover party.

Once the waiter had dropped off their dishes, Gloriana cleared her throat. "Does anyone mind if I set up a privacy charm while we speak? If someone were to hear portions of our conversation, and allow that to bring them to false conclusions..." she trailed off, but the implication was clear that it would be - at the very least - more trouble than it was worth.

Professor McGonagall nodded sharply, while Dan and Emma Granger traded looks before quietly agreeing.

Once their conversation was secured Gloriana opened her mouth to speak and promptly closed it, gripping tighter at her husband's hand. She tried once more, with no better results. A third time, and all she could say, her voice small in her throat, was "Hermione?"

Professor McGonagall, previously intending on staying out of this conversation unless her input was needed, decided to intervene. She felt sufficiently needed. "Mr. and Mrs. Granger, the Braxtons are old acquaintances of mine - former students, turned comrades of a sort. Just over ten years ago - their only child was taken from them. A daughter named Hermione."

Dan turned a harsh look on the professor. "You've been staring at our daughter on and off all day, now you're implying that she's your friend's child? Was this planned?"

"Certainly not," said Professor McGonagall indignantly. "I admit that I noticed her resemblance to the Braxtons, and that I wondered about the possibility, but my actions in bringing you here today were _entirely_ in concert with Hogwarts School's protocols for introducing muggle-born families to the magical world."

"You said that she was almost certainly muggle-born," Dan continued to accuse.

"And I did not lie, Dr. Granger - this whole situation was highly unlikely. Even if I had my suspicion, it was not my place to suggest such things without any sort of confirmation."

"And what has changed?" he asked her, no less sharply. "What confirmation is there now, now that you've gained the support of your friends and brought us to an unfamiliar place?" Dan was ready to levy another accusation when Emma cut him off with a hand on his arm.

"Mrs. Braxton," she said, tightly but kindly, "if you're able to say, I'd like to know how all of this came about."

"Gloriana, please - or Glory, if you prefer." She took a deep breath, visibly steadying her nerves, and began to speak. "Luther and I were married just out of school, in August of 1978. Not long after, our daughter was born. Our marriage was arranged, as is typical among families like ours, and we were content with each other but both fell so immediately in love with our Hermione. I named her, Hermione Emilia, for my love of muggle literature. Our society was at war, then. Has Minerva told you about the war?"

The Grangers shook their heads, and Gloriana took another fortifying breath. "There are those in our society who believe that to be pure-blood is to be superior. At the time of Hermione's birth, that faction was being led by a _monster_ of a man who was willing to torture and kill those who disagreed or who he saw as unworthy. Luther and I fought against this man and his followers, who were called Death Eaters. Our families, however, had previously always been neutral. Neutrality in politics is one thing, but in  _war_ there is no such thing. The Death Eaters thought we might be persuaded to change sides - and when we rebuffed their offers they turned to coercion. Hermione was just seven months old when they took her from us."

Gloriana choked a bit, and turned a pleading look to Luther.

His voice was no less wrought with emotion than hers as he spoke. "It was April of 1979. The wards on our home were left intact because a spy for the Death Eaters within our resistance was the one who took her away. A note was left in the crib, saying that she would be returned to us when we changed sides. The house elf who tended to her that night had been knocked unconscious and left on the floor of the nursery. 

"We reported the crime immediately, but the aurors were unable to make any progress. With no evidence from the wards, they couldn't generate a suspect list. They attempted seeking and tracking and scrying spells, but wards had been placed on our baby to cut them off and prevent them from working. After a month, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement determined that they could make no progress on our case without additional evidence, and it was tabled. We were told to return if we had information, and the case would be picked back up.

"We didn't give up, then. We couldn't. We hired private investigators, both magical and muggle, to no avail. Any time that we weren't running missions for the war, we were searching for our Hermione. The war ended in October, seven months after Hermione was taken from us and one month after the first birthday we should have been able to celebrate, when James and Lily Potter were killed and their son survived and became known as the boy-who-lived. They were friends of ours - though we didn't remain close to many people in the wake of Hermione's kidnapping. You'll read more about that night in your history books, I'm sure. For us, it didn't feel like the war had ended. The war had taken our daughter, and we still didn't have her back."

"We never stopped looking," Gloriana told them desperately. "Each time an investigator told us that they couldn't find her, we hired another. We took notices in the paper, offering rewards for her return - no questions asked. Every week, we were out in the streets looking for her. When the offer of a reward didn't turn up any results after the end of the war, we knew she must have been hidden in the muggle world. Luther and I are both purebloods, so neither of us knew exactly how to navigate the muggle world, but we learned as quickly as we could. We tried - more than once - to send the muggle police and detectives looking for our daughter, but there were no documents of her in that world so we could not prove to them that she was ours. We only came to the alley today because we knew that, if she were in the muggle world, she would receive her letter today and come to purchase her school supplies. We've been standing by Ollivander's since seven this morning hoping to spot her. If we didn't, we would know that she had been taken outside of the UK and Ireland, and we would have expanded our search."

The three Grangers had been on a roller-coaster of emotions as Gloriana and Luther spoke. Pity, heartbreak, shock, admiration, worry all mingled together in the Doctors' minds. For Hermione, there was wonder and fear and loss and confusion. 

"How-" Dan said, before clearing his throat and speaking more clearly. "How do you know for certain, though, that our Hermione and yours are one and the same? I admit it would be a great many coincidences if she was not, but very strange, unlikely things happen every day."

Luther nodded. "There is a test, which can be done. The few muggle agencies we spoke to mentioned a non-magical one which I think is similar, but a magical blood test can show by name all of a person's magical relatives in a family tree as far back as is necessary or desired. This can be done at our hospital, Saint Mungo's, to confirm everything."

Gloriana let out a small scoff at the notion of the blood test. "I understand your desire to confirm what we're saying, and I won't try to stand in your way, but I already know that this is the daughter I have been searching for for so long." She turned a soft, longing look on Hermione. "All magical people have a sixth sense - a magical sense. It is something like a sense of touch for something intangible, and it is strongest when the intangible thing you're feeling is also magical. I will always know the feeling of my daughter's magic. Even after ten and a half years, I could never forget the feeling of the little girl who I carried for over nine months, and who I loved so deeply when she was born."

Hermione rubbed harshly at her eyes. She _hated_ to cry in front of others, much preferred to find a private place to go. But this woman - her likely birth mother - had looked into her eyes with so much emotion while she spoke that Hermione couldn't help but to tear up from it. 

"We love her, too." Dan said roughly. "We have since we first held her. It was July of 1979 when we first brought her home. Hermione had been left at a police station, with only a blanket and a note. The note just said,  _Hermione was born on 19 September_. The adoption agency told us the police hadn't been able to find any record of her, or any trail back to her parents. It was the strangest abandonment case they'd ever seen - Hermione was perfectly healthy, well behaved. There was no indication that whoever had cared for her for her first seven months had struggled to do so, no  _reason_ she would have been abandoned."

Hermione clung a bit to her mum while her dad told the story. Hermione knew her adoption story, it wasn't a mystery to her, but it never felt  _good_ to hear about how she'd been left at a police station for no reason at all. She'd gone through a period of anxiety shortly after learning the story, worrying that she would be abandoned again and there would be nothing she could do to prevent it because she'd done nothing wrong the first time either. Her parents had caught on blessedly quickly, and found a quality child psychologist to help her process, so she rarely felt that way anymore. If what these people were saying was true, though, then she'd never been  _abandoned_ , she'd been  _stolen_.

"We raised her," Dan continued, "and have always loved her as our own. We taught her to walk, and talk, and read. She loves to read. We held her when she was scared, and celebrated with her each time she achieved something new."

"We don't want to take her away from you," Gloriana rushed to say, seeing the fear in the Dr. Grangers' eyes. "We've lived with the pain of missing Hermione for all these years, we would never want to inflict that on anyone else. But- once everything is confirmed to your satisfaction- we want to be able to be a part of her life again. To get to know the person she's become, and teach her about our culture."

Dan and Emma made eye contact. "If that is something Hermione wants," Emma told Gloriana. 

Both of the Braxtons broke fully into tears, the emotions that had been choking them throughout the conversation no longer willing to be held back. Grief for the ten years they'd lost, relief that their search could finally end, joy at meeting their Hermione again, worry that something would still go wrong.

 

When everyone's emotions had settled, and their food was either eaten or gone cold, the Braxtons paid for everyone's meal and all six people stood up to leave. Tentatively, Gloriana asked, "May we go with you back to Ollivander's? Seeing Hermione get her wand- it's something I've dreamed about."

The Grangers agreed easily this time. Allowing this couple, who they admitted were very likely telling the truth, to accompany them into a public shop when in all honesty they could have done so without permission - it was hardly any concession to make. The group of six walked the short distance back to the wand shop feeling very differently than they had when they met, and crowded inside the small shop together.

Garrick Ollivander's unsettling gaze landed on each person in turn - for the magical adults, he rattled off the details of their wands as he went. His gaze turned meaningful when he looked from the adults to Hermione, but he made no comment. Ollivander was old and wise, and knew well that in the wizarding world the walls could have ears. He would not vocalize sensitive information without prompting. 

Hermione was measured, and questioned, and tried several wands. It was the sixth the old wand maker put in her hands - vinewood and dragon heartstring, ten and three-quarters inches - that fit. Warmth spread up her arm, and Hermione couldn't help but smile. 

"My mother had a vine wand," Gloriana said quietly.

And when Hermione waved that wand, the resulting flow of magic stole her breath.


	3. Arrangements

_20 September 1990_

Professor McGonagall visiting the Granger household again on the following day was nothing unusual, and would go unremarked upon by anyone magical who noticed. It was a well-known fact that many illnesses which affected witches and wizards, such as dragonpox or spattergoit, did not exist in the muggle world. Muggle-borns were taken to Saint Mungo's soon after their initial introduction to be inoculated against those illnesses and for their parents to be educated on the nature of magical accidents. Muggle-born families were also given a permanent portkey to the magical hospital to use in case of those accidents.

The fact that Luther and Gloriana Braxton would be meeting them there for a blood test was a secret that would be protected by the Healers' Oaths. 

The news that the Braxton's daughter had been found, after ten years, living as a muggle-born witch was something that would need to be released in a controlled manner. The intensity of the search that Gloriana and Luther conducted had made the name Hermione Braxton almost as well-known in the wizarding world as Harry Potter - and no one could possibly blame them for searching for her so fiercely, especially now that the search had borne fruit. Still, before anyone caught wind of this, it would need to be confirmed beyond reproach, information would need to be given to the DMLE and verified to protect the Granger family- the story would need to be released through a  _reputable_ journalist, who would report the facts truthfully and without embellishments. If a certain muckraker caught even a hint of this story, it could be very undesirable indeed.

 

The Grangers and Braxtons, along with Professor McGonagall, were quietly shown to a private waiting room upon their arrival at the hospital. This wasn't typical for muggle-born introductions, but they were meeting with a pure-blood family, and all of them quietly hoped that no one had been paying attention. Professor McGonagall was the only person to stay in the waiting room when the Mediwitch came to escort the patients to a room. This was a slight surprise to the young woman, but she said nothing about it. She was a professional, and it was none of her business.

The atmosphere in the room was unexpectedly tense while Hermione received her inoculations. Dan and Emma Granger had discussed the previous day's revelations in detail, both with and without their daughter, and had come to several conclusions. Everyone in the room expected essentially the same results from the blood test, and no one had anything unpleasant or unexpected to say once they received those results.

And yet, everyone moved about stiffly, as silently as they could, wondering and worrying because what if they were  _wrong_. It would be a crushing disappointment for the Braxtons and for Hermione, who were independently hoping to be reunited with lost family. While Dan and Emma Granger wouldn't be personally upset, the emotional injury to their daughter would be just as significant to them as to her.

The Mediwitch, after finishing the inoculations, drew blood from Hermione for the blood test. The method was fascinating to those who hadn't seen it - a disc from a specially-charmed phial was placed on Hermione's arm, and turned red when the Mediwitch tapped it with her wand. Seconds later, the phial began to fill with blood. The whole process was completely painless.

Once the blood was collected, the Mediwitch cast several spells over the phial, and poured it into a large, shallow container with a neon green liquid from another phial. Inexplicably, the combination of the two created blue liquid rather than brown. The Mediwitch seemed satisfied with the color, however, and laid a sheet of parchment into the liquid. After thirty seconds, she levitated it out with her wand, and laid it on the table. 

By unspoken agreement, Hermione was allowed to be the first to look. 

A family tree had formed on the parchment. The fact that there was any tree at all meant that she was not muggle-born, as the magical blood test showed only  _magical_ relatives. Hermione looked to the tree, and above her name read  _Luther G. Braxton_ and  _Gloriana M. Braxton nee Greengrass._ She had an uncle on her mother's side. 

 

Once everyone had collected themselves, and the Braxtons had held their daughter for the first time in a decade, the Grangers and Braxtons went to the Ministry of Magic. Professor McGonagall had seen the way they clung to each other when they left the exam room, and it was agreed that she was no longer needed. The Braxtons were willing to return the Grangers to their home once their business was finished, and she needed to get back to Hogwarts.

"You should consider what you'll want to be called publicly," Luther said to Hermione and the Grangers under an anti-eavesdropping spell. "I know that the Granger name carries emotional significance to you, but the Braxton name comes with political and social influence that will make your life easier in the wizarding world. As much as people like us have fought for equal rights regardless of blood status- we aren't there yet. You'll be able to use one name or the other, or combine them, but it's something you need to decide."

"Okay," Hermione said quickly as she walked in the middle of the group.

They'd left St. Mungo's, and were walking to the visitor's entrance at the Ministry of Magic. Hermione was excited to see it - there had been a picture of the Ministry's Atrium in one of the books she'd started reading yesterday, and it looked magnificent. Very quickly, they arrived at a telephone box, and Luther ushered them all inside. It was a tight fit for five people, but Hermione thought it wasn't as tight as it should be. Gloriana typed something on the keypad.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic," came a voice out of thin air, "State your name and business."

"Braxton family, plus three," Gloriana said clearly, "Visit to the DMLE."

From the coin return, five silver badges popped out and Luther handed one to each person. The box descended like a lift, and in moments opened up in the Atrium that Hermione had seen in her books. It was as beautiful as she expected, and her head swiveled back and forth as the group walked in, bypassing the line.

"Most people who visit the Ministry are required to register their wands," Luther explained, mostly for the sake of the Doctors Granger. "But there are benefits to being as prominent as we are- especially given that you two have no wands to register."

"Would we not be able to come to the Ministry without you?" Emma asked him.

Luther shook his head tightly. "Rights for Muggle-borns are giving us enough issues- rights for the muggle parents of Muggle-borns is an even more difficult battle."

 

"Madame Bones," Luther said as they entered the office of the Head of the DMLE.

"Lord Braxton, Lady Braxton," she said, standing. She nodded a greeting to each of the others, staying silent as she didn't know their names. "What can I do for you all?"

Luther and Glory each took a seat, her gesturing for the Grangers to do the same. "This is the Granger family, Madame Bones. Dan, Emma, and Hermione. We have just come from St. Mungo's hospital, where a blood test confirmed that their Hermione and our Hermione are one and the same."

Madame Bones smiled genuinely, losing her formality. "I'm so happy for you, Luther, Glory."

"Thank you, Amy," Gloriana said with a smile. "We're ecstatic. But there are still things to do before we celebrate."

"Of course, Lady Braxton," Bones replied as she slipped back into her formal demeanor. "Do you wish to start with reopening the kidnapping case, or the formal custody arrangements?"

"The case, if you will," Luther answered smoothly.

"I'll summon one of my best, Lord Braxton."

Hermione watched quietly as the monocled blonde wrote out a note and tapped it with her wand, sucking in a breath when it folded itself into an airplane before flying through a hole in the wall. As soon as that distraction was gone, Hermione found she couldn't resist asking her questions. She turned to the Braxtons first. "Lord and Lady?" she asked in awe.

Gloriana smiled indulgently at her. "Yes, the Braxtons are an Ancient and Noble family, and thus our titles are Lord and Lady. You'll learn more about it, and I can't wait to teach you."

Hermione grinned at the idea of learning something new. She  _loved_ to learn. She turned to Madame Bones. "What was that airplane?" 

"That's how we send messages to others in the Ministry," Bones answered patiently. "Years ago we used owls to send them, but they made quite a mess."

Hermione nodded, wrinkling her nose at the thought. She then looked between the Braxtons and Madame Bones, unsure who to pose her next question to. Finally, she settled on her birth parents. "Why are you reopening the kidnapping case? I remember that you said yesterday, 'We were told to return if we had more information, and it would be picked back up.' And I suppose that finding me is having more information, but shouldn't the case be closed, instead of reopened? I don't know who took me. No one remembers being that little, not even me."

"Your memory is very impressive, isn't it?" Luther asked her. Hermione nodded. It was the sort of question that could have sounded patronizing or sarcastic, but in this instance he sounded totally genuine. 

"Hermione's memory isn't quite eidetic, but it is close," Emma told him. Luther smiled.

"I take it you remember us saying that there were spells on you, then, to keep you hidden?" Hermione nodded. "The aurors will be able to tell who cast those spells."

"And whoever did it, they're the ones who kidnapped me." Hermione paused. "Or they at least helped."

Luther and Gloriana both nodded, just as the door opened to reveal a tall black man in maroon robes, carrying a file folder. He looked grim and serious, until he turned to give a kind smile to the Braxtons. "Madame Bones," he greeted.

"Auror Shacklebolt, you'll be taking charge of the reopening of the Braxton kidnapping case."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll go to my office to review the file." He turned to the others. "Lord and Lady Braxton, you and the others may meet me there at your leisure to share the new information you have."

"We will, Kingsley," Luther told him. Shacklebolt nodded, and stepped out of the office. 

 

Hermione tried to pay attention throughout the rest of their meeting with Madame Bones, but it was unfortunately over her head. She could work out that they were agreeing that her mum and dad would stay her guardians in the muggle world while her birth parents became her magical guardians, and that she would spend time with both of them. Her mum and dad were welcome to supervise her time with her birth parents, but not required. All of that suited Hermione, so she gave up on understanding all of the legal details. There was certainly background information that she was missing.

Once the contract was signed, Gloriana turned to Hermione. "Do you need more time to decide what you'd like your legal name to be?"

Hermione bit her lip, and shook her head. "I think I know. How often are people going to use my  _whole_ name, though? Would it be awful if my name was terribly long? I know Albus Dumbledore has five names, because he had three middle initials on my Hogwarts letter. If my name is like that, will it be okay?"

"Anything you want to be your name is okay," Emma said as Luther nodded in agreement. 

"Your whole name, middle names included, is only required on legal papers," Gloriana added.

"Okay," Hermione said confidently. "Then I want to be Hermione Emilia Jean Braxton-Granger, with the last two as a single surname. With a hyphen. Because I don't want to give up the names I've always had, but I've also always wanted to know about or meet my birth family, so I want your names too now that I know what I know."

"You're sure?" Luther asked. "You don't have to decide today, if you aren't."

Hermione nodded vigorously. "I knew right away when you said to think about it that I'd want to combine both, so I've just been switching the order around until I found the one that sounded best since we left the hospital."

"Alright then," he turned to Madame Bones. "Did you get all of that?"

"I did. Hermione Emilia Jean Braxton-hyphen-Granger, welcome back to the wizarding world."

Next, Hermione went to Auror Shacklebolt's office with all four of her parents. (A thought she was rapidly getting accustomed to, and which filled her with excitement.) There, the auror collected information from the spells on her called a magical signature. Hermione asked, and found out that each and every person who could cast magic left behind traces that were different, like a fingerprint. The traces would fade, but only if the spell did. Since the spells keeping her hidden were still active, the signature was still as strong as the day it was cast.

Once Shacklebolt and his partner had both independently collected the signatures from each spell (for verification), they removed them. Hermione didn't feel a thing, which she was glad about. She'd worried that it would hurt. Then her parents (the Grangers) told the aurors about adopting Hermione, and her other parents (the Braxtons) told them about finding her in Diagon Alley the previous day.

Auror Shacklebolt told them to wait to tell anyone else about finding her until they had time to analyze the magical signatures and make an arrest, so that the kidnappers couldn't hear about it and leave the country.

 

Getting all five of them back to the Grangers' was difficult, but doable. First, the Doctors attempted to describe where their house was and what it looked like in extreme detail, so that the Braxtons would be able to apparate there without having seen the place. After several minutes of the wrong details, Gloriana asked kindly if she could have permission to just take a brief peek in one of their minds. Emma, the more daring of the Granger pair, agreed and it was done quickly and efficiently. Gloriana then apparated Luther there and back so that he could see it as well, before Gloriana took Hermione and her mum one at a time and Luther took Dan. 

All three novice apparators were looking a bit motion sick when they'd arrived.

"Queasiness the first few times you're apparated is normal," Gloriana assured them. "Any magical means of travel is the same story, really. If you've never moved from one place to another instantaneously before, then you're bound to feel a bit odd doing it."

"I'll make a pot of tea," Luther told them. "You all sit. Do you have any mint?"


	4. Changes

_23 September 1990_

During breakfast in the Granger household, an owl landed at the kitchen window and pecked lightly to be let in. Dan and Emma exchanged a confused glance.

"Owls are used to send post in the wizarding world, remember?" Hermione asked. "That's why the supply list for school allows a student to bring one, and I read about how the practice began in  _A History of Modern Conveniences_ , which seems like an odd title for the book since none of the topics it discussed seemed terribly modern or convenient."

Dan, accustomed to Hermione's tendency to ramble, had stood up to let the owl in as soon as she mentioned post. Sure enough, there was a parchment envelope fastened to its leg, sealed with a wax crest he didn't recognize. He opened it to find two pieces of parchment and some newsprint.

"From the Braxtons?" Emma asked him.

"Appears so." He looked briefly at the contents, before passing around the letter first.

_To the Grangers,_

_You'll want to give the owl a treat, or she'll become ornery. A small piece of meat will do well. Her name is Celeste._

_We haven't been disappointed with the progress on the kidnapping case we were expecting. There has been an arrest, and the trial is scheduled for Friday. The rest of the case suddenly became more complicated by colliding with another case. We've included the news article from the Daily Prophet which explains the connection. We've also included a subscription form for the Prophet, in case you wish to receive a copy of your own. Its news is often embellished or poorly researched, but it is unfortunately the primary news source for the wizarding world. We prefer to view it as an exercise in critical thinking, for our own morale. Muggles unfortunately are unable to attend trials in the magical world, even when connected to the case. Hermione is invited to attend with us, if she wants to and you agree. We will also, of course, tell you all about it after._

_This Wednesday, all three of you are invited to our manor for dinner. If you agree, we will come to pick you up at half six and bring you to our home. In addition to seeing you all again and getting to know one another better, we would like to discuss adding wards - magical protection - and a floo - magical travel - to your home and create a loose schedule for further visits, including social visits and time to teach Hermione about wizarding culture._

_Lastly, please keep Celeste as a gift. She was hatched in our owlery here at the manor, and is only recently old enough to deliver mail. As a magical owl, she is intelligent enough to understand speech. When you need her to deliver a letter, simply tie it to her leg and tell her where to go or the recipient's name, and she will find them. She will hunt for her own food, and is remarkably clean. You need only provide a way in and out of the house. When wards are added, a window can be modified so that it will not allow unwanted creatures or weather inside if left open. If you travel with Celeste, you can send her ahead to your destination or choose to purchase a cage for transport. Having an owl will allow you to keep in touch with us more easily, and with Hermione once she goes to Hogwarts._

_We hope to hear from you soon in regards to dinner._

_Luther and Gloriana Braxton_

"We'll go, right?" Hermione asked eagerly. 

"Of course," Dan answered easily. "We promised both you and the Braxtons this opportunity. We aren't busy Wednesday, are we?"

Emma shook her head. "Wednesday we're free. We'll write back and tell them that half six is lovely, shall we?"

"Let's see the news article," Dan said.

**_Lost Girl, Found! New Evidence in Braxton Kidnapping Case Leads to Arrest, Investigation_ **

_On Friday, 21 September, the DMLE made progress in our world's oldest and most followed open case - the kidnapping of Hermione Emilia Braxton. Now legally Hermione Emilia Jean Braxton-Granger - quite a mouthful! - the Lost Girl was found living with a couple in the muggle world. Analysis of anti-tracking and scrying wards placed on the girl at the time of the kidnapping led to a shock._

_Lord Lucius Malfoy, head of the Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy, has been arrested in connection with the case and will stand trial on Friday, 28 September at 10 a.m. He is charged with kidnapping and attempted line theft. Some have spoken against trying Lord Malfoy for these crimes, as he was cleared of the all wartime charges during the Death Eater trials in 1981 following the reveal that he had been placed under the imperius curse and was not in control of his own actions. It is unclear at this time why the DMLE has disagreed with this stance, but may be related to the high profile nature of the Braxton Kidnapping Case._

_Perhaps even more shockingly, the second magical signature found belonged to Peter Pettigrew, who was killed by Sirius Black on 1 November 1981 in the wake of You-Know-Who's demise. Pettigrew was posthumously awarded the Order of Merlin, second class for his heroic actions in confronting Black. Pettigrew's apparent involvement with Death Eater activities, however, has brought to light questions about the validity of Black's conviction. A brief investigation by the DMLE found that Black's trial, conducted by former Minister Bagnold and former DMLE Head Bartemius Crouch Sr., was not to regulation. Black was incoherent at the time of his trial and therefore unable to process or answer questions. A brief questioning of Black conducted at Azkaban prison revealed that he has no memory of the trial taking place. Current DMLE Head Amelia Bones has therefore decided to retry Black in light of new evidence. Black's trial is scheduled for noon on Wednesday, 26 September and will be broadcast live on the Wizarding Wireless Network so the public may have immediate closure on this shocking issue._

_Controversially, veritaserum will be used in the trials of both Sirius Black and Lord Lucius Malfoy. Veritaserum is a recently invented potion which forces its drinker to tell the truth. Its use in trials is controversial due to several reasons. First, the potion can be resisted with sufficiently powerful Occlumency shields or a pre-taken antidote. Second, the potion only forces the drinker to speak the truth as they know it, and it is therefore susceptible to memory modifications. The use of veritaserum testimony has been agreed on by the DMLE due to the high profile nature of both cases, but due to its vulnerabilities will not be considered sufficient evidence on its own for conviction or clearance._

_Even as our society faces significant upheaval, we at the Daily Prophet welcome the Lost Girl back to her rightful place in the wizarding world and offer our congratulations to Lord and Lady Braxton for the return of their long-lost daughter and Heiress._

"The Lost Girl?" Hermione asked incredulously. "It's like I've been in Neverland, instead of non-magical Britain. Do you think they've read _Peter Pan_?"

Emma couldn't help but laugh. "Most of them, I don't think so, but maybe Glory has."

 

_26 September 1990_

Wednesday at half six, the Braxtons apparated into the Grangers' sitting room looking ashen. "Is everything okay?" Dan asked, "Do you need to cancel dinner?"

"There's no need to cancel," Luther replied. "We've only just come from the Ministry, however, and we've had a bit of a shock."

"Go ahead and take a seat," Emma offered, concern in her voice, "Collect yourself before we go, if you'd like."

"We should fill you in, before we go anyway. This will affect both of our families. You remember the trial that was scheduled for today, Sirius Black?"

Each of the Grangers nodded, Hermione looking slightly affronted at the question.

"He was sent to prison at the end of the war as a Death Eater, but he was a friend of ours and fought by our side before then. He was arrested for causing an explosion in the street, killing thirteen people. We also believed he had been the one to cause the deaths of James and Lily Potter, made especially shocking by the fact that he had a triad marriage bond with them."

Dan and Emma looked mildly alarmed at the thought of a triad marriage, but refrained from saying anything. When they had met the Braxtons and discovered their Hermione's heritage, they'd sworn that they would be open-minded about cultural differences. This was a first test for that attitude.

"He was also the person we believed to have taken Hermione from our home," Gloriana added, sounding miserable. "So when the aurors found- instead of his magical signature- the signature of the man he'd been arrested for killing- Of course we had to attend the trial."

"He was innocent," Luther said gravely. "He has been in Azkaban prison for nine years, and he never committed a crime."

"That's awful," Emma said emphatically.

"Worse than you're thinking," Gloriana told her. "You can add abuse of prisoners to the list of injustices in the wizarding world; Azkaban is a truly horrific place."

"So Sirius was released immediately, of course," Luther continued, "Then he went to go see his son- their son- Harry Potter-"

"The Boy-Who-Lived," Hermione supplied helpfully.

Luther sighed. "Yes. And Sirius found him living in an abusive household with Lily Potter's relatives. A second, emergency session of the Wizengamot was called but Sirius isn't well enough to care for a child on his own. Before Harry's living conditions were uncovered, the official plan was that he would retake custody of his son when he'd had time to recover, with visitation before then."

"Well, clearly that has to change, right?" Dan asked.

Gloriana and Luther both nodded. "The Wizengamot agreed that Sirius could take immediate custody of Harry, if they lived with another adult who could ensure they were both okay. We've invited them to stay with us. They know about you, and we won't wait to form the relationship with your family that we want. Harry and Hermione will be in the same year when they attend Hogwarts, and they are both children of old families who are new to the magical world. Perhaps, when they meet, they'll be friends?"

"What do you think, Hermione?" Emma asked her daughter.

"I think I'd like to meet him," Hermione said cautiously. She didn't have many friends. Just then, her stomach growled, and she glanced at the clock. 6:45. "I'd also like dinner."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting to ship JilyPad, which is a problem because I already have Wolfstar and I don't even do ships!


	5. New Friends

The Grangers and Braxtons arrived at Braxton Manor's receiving room - the only place to safely apparate in with someone outside of the family. The hall was gorgeous, with dark woods and walls lined in pale green silk. A large, marble fireplace stood behind them and the roaring fire caused the crystal chandelier to glitter strikingly. 

Their attention was soon drawn, however, to the man and the boy waiting nervously in forest green armchairs who Hermione assumed must be Sirius Black and Harry Potter. Black attempted to stand up, but Gloriana waved her hand in a quelling motion and he collapsed back into the chair. 

Sirius Black was a bit frightening looking - nearly skeletal with pale, greyish skin. His hair was cut unevenly, in a way that reminded Hermione of getting bubble gum stuck in her own hair once and having it cut out. She doubted that was the case with Black, though. His eyes were grey in color, and while he was obviously trying to look calm there was a storm in them. He was dressed nicely, but didn't look comfortable in it. Hermione remembered how her birth mother had said Azkaban was a horrible place, and looking at this man Hermione had no doubts about that.

Harry Potter was skinny, too much so, but not nearly as emaciated as Black. His hair was a mess, his clothes were several sizes too big, and he was horribly sunburned. His green eyes, behind broken glasses, were too large for his thin face. He looked anxious- eyes darting around the room, shifting awkwardly in his seat. 

"Sirius, Harry," Luther said, "This is our daughter Hermione, and her adoptive parents Dan and Emma Granger."

"Wonderful to meet you all," he replied in a voice that was rough from disuse. "I'd stand, but I'm still weak from prison. This is my son, Harry. I hear that your case is what got me out of that place, so I ought to thank you, little witch."

Hermione blushed. "I hardly did anything- I was just doing my school shopping and had my whole life turned around. It was my birth parents, and the DMLE."

"Still," he said with a grin that was only slightly stiff, "Everyone in this room had their life changed, hopefully for the better."

Hermione bit her lip, hard. She shouldn't ask- it wasn't the thing to do- but she couldn't stop herself. "Can I ask you a question, Mr. Black?" she blurted out. "It might be a bit rude, but I've just been dying to know-"

Hermione's dad was about to admonish her, she could see it on his face, when Black barked out a laugh and smiled naturally. Apparently he didn't mind a bit of rudeness. "Ask away, little witch, but call me Sirius. Mr. Black makes me feel old."

"How are you Harry Potter's father?" She asked in a rush, once she had permission. "Wasn't James Potter his father?"

"We both were," Black answered easily, "And Lils was his mother. It's possible, with magic, for a child to have three parents."

"Really? How?"

Black hesitated minutely. "Do you know- er- how babies come about?"

"Of course," Hermione said with a roll of her eyes. "I've known since I was seven. Mum and Dad tried to tell me about the stork bringing them, but I knew it sounded foolish so I found a book in the public library."

"We never tried to hide facts of life from her again," Emma said ruefully.

"Right, well, James and Lily were Harry's parents in the traditional way, but I donated my magic. While Lils was still pregnant, I gave enough of my magic to Harry for him to be my son. Blood tests will show three parents on his family tree."

Hermione's eyes were wide. "Is that common in the wizarding world?"

"About as common as triads, which is about one in ten marriages in the wizarding world."

The Grangers saw the look about Hermione that said she had a million follow-up questions, a look the Braxtons were quickly learning to recognize as well. "Perhaps, Hermione, we can save these kinds of questions for later? I'm sure there's a book that can tell you the basics, so that you don't need to ask Mr. Black for all the details."

"It's Sirius!" Black said again.

Hermione nodded, remembering that she was, in fact, hungry, and Luther helped Sirius to his feet while Gloriana led the group of seven to the dining room.

 

The whole house was decorated in a similar fashion to the receiving room, and Hermione wondered as they walked what it would have been like to grow up here. Her family's house was large, the Grangers owned their own dentistry practice and were very well-off, but it wasn't nearly so grand as a manor. She glanced at the boy next to her out of the corner of her eye.

"It's a lot, isn't it?" Hermione asked him quietly.

Harry startled. "Yeah. It's a lot."

"I went through it all on my birthday last week. Professor McGonagall came to our house to tell my parents that I was a witch, and then in Diagon Alley my birth parents found us and I learned I'd been kidnapped and suddenly there was this whole world. It was overwhelming at first, but I'm starting to get used to it. I'm sure you will, too."

"Thanks," Harry said with a bit of a grin. She could see the relief on his face, that he wasn't the only one. 

Hermione held out her hand for him to shake. "My full name is Hermione Emilia Jean Braxton-Granger."

"Harry James Sirius Potter," he returned as he took her hand, both of them stopping for a moment in the hall to shake. They walked in silence for a few moments. "Are your parents nice?"

"Which ones?" Hermione asked.

Harry shrugged. "Both, I guess."

"I think they are," Hermione said easily. "I know my adoptive parents better, of course, and they're wonderful. I love them. My birth parents, I'm only getting to know, but they seem lovely too." Hermione paused, noticing the tension in Harry's shoulders. "My birth parents told us a little bit about why you're here- no details," she hurried to add at his uneasy look, "just that your last home wasn't somewhere you should stay. I don't know everything about them yet, and I've just met Mr. Black, but I think you'll be okay here."

"Thanks."

"Do you like to read?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"I don't  _not_ like to read," Harry hedged.

"It's a start," Hermione replied with a smile.

 

Over a light dinner, conversation centered around getting to know each other better. Hermione learned that her birth mother was a dueling champion in school and that yes, she had read  _Peter Pan_ and agreed that the Lost Girl was a ridiculous moniker. Harry felt a bit better knowing that he wasn't the only child of the war to be given such a horrible nickname in the press, and liked maths. Sirius, who absolutely  _insisted_ she use his first name, could not go five minutes without cracking a joke. Her birth father like to play cards, but never gambled. It was all information she absorbed greedily - her birth parents were her history, and she'd never give up her adoptive parents but now she had  _both_ and she'd never let that go. Harry was opening up to a friendship with her - he seemed as lonely as she was - and Sirius was just interesting to talk to. Even over dinner she could see some of the ways prison had affected him- he lost his train of thought too easily, and his mood seemed unstable- but she wasn't afraid like she had been when she'd first laid eyes on the man. The way he acted and spoke proved that he was kind.

The dishes from dinner were magically cleared once everyone had finished eating - they just  _vanished_ , and Hermione wondered if they'd been transported to the kitchen or if they were really gone, and Gloriana pulled a stack of parchment and a quill from her robe pocket.

"Sirius, Harry," she said, "Luther and I are making plans to teach Hermione about her heritage and culture. Harry is welcome to join these lessons, the kids get on well. Would you two like that?"

Sirius looked hesitant. "It won't be like-"

"Nothing like that," she insisted quickly. "Have you ever known us to be like them, Sirius? We believe in tradition, yes, but not bigotry."

He nodded. "You're right, I'm sorry. Gut reaction. If Harry is interested, I'd love for you to help teach him."

"What do you think, Harry?" Luther asked. "Would you like to take culture lessons with Hermione? There will be no exams, like school lessons. These are things you both would have learned if you had been able to grow up in the wizarding world."

Harry paused, and then nodded quietly. Hermione smiled at him, hiding her slight disappointment that there would be no exams. She did well on exams. 

"Excellent," Gloriana said with a wide smile. "We've written a list of the things we would have taught Hermione from childhood. Some are more important than others - the most important ones, I've marked with a star and we'd like to teach you by the time you go to Hogwarts next fall. Take a look, and then we can discuss the topics and make some decisions."

There was a copy of the list for each person at the table. Hermione looked at hers, while everyone around her did the same.

_Safety*_

_Social Etiquette*_

_Political Etiquette_

_Latin*_

_Foreign Language - French?_

_Music - Piano?_

_Government Structure and History*_

_Family History_ \- Here, there was a blot of ink that might have been the beginnings of a star, which made Hermione wonder for a moment before moving on.

_Estate Management_

_Spirituality*_

_Magical Theory*_

_Cultural Differences**_

"Shall we start with those that you've starred?" Emma asked, and Gloriana nodded her agreement.

"Safety in the wizarding world is a major concern," Luther said simply. "Magic is integral to our lives, but it also creates threats and accidents which don't exist in the muggle world." Several people nodded, and no one raised any concerns.

Gloriana cleared her throat. "Social Etiquette, I've marked as important because it will help the kids to navigate interactions with their peers once they begin school. They will eventually navigate the adult world with those same peers - Hogwarts is the only magical school in Britain - and first impressions are vital. If you antagonize someone on your first day of school, and aren't able to recover, then you'll likely never be able to ally with them as an adult. Additionally, it will be easier to make friends if the kids are familiar with social etiquette. Not every family still follows these traditions, but many do."

"You talk about allies," Emma prodded, "Can you explain what you mean?"

"Both Harry and Hermione will one day inherit seats in the Wizengamot," Gloriana answered with a nod, "And that means working both with and against the other Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot to create and uphold laws. Alliances are formed between Wizengamot members with similar views and goals, and a powerful alliance makes it that much easier to attain those goals. As the Wizengamot is a voting body, achieving anything without allies is nearly impossible."

Hermione nodded as she took that in. She'd never pictured herself in politics, but she did have a lot of opinions about the way the world should work. 

"Why is Latin starred, and not French?" Dan asked next, when it was clear there was no more immediate discussion on social etiquette.

"Latin is the basis of nearly every spell that we use," Luther answered. "While understanding the Latin is not vital - if it were, it would be a Hogwarts course - it can be very useful. Spellcasting is easier when you understand the source of the incantation, and a solid understanding of Latin can also help to identify unknown spells a person encounters. French, or another foreign language, on the other hand, is useful in social and political situations but will not become necessary in the first year Harry and Hermione spend at Hogwarts."

"Alright," Emma responded. "How much government and history are you imagining teaching them, in a year and with all these other topics?"

"Only the very basics," Gloriana admitted. "The surface level understandings that will help them later, when they are ready to learn more about their roles in the Wizengamot. It is admittedly the lowest priority of those topics I've starred, but also will not take long to learn."

"Spirituality," Sirius spoke for the first time since the lists had been passed around. "You want to teach them the Old Faith?"

"I want to teach them  _about_ it, at the very least. I understand that it will be different, learning about the Faith now rather than from the cradle, but it is an integral part of both our family life and high society." She looked to Hermione. "I will understand, if you don't feel the Faith the same way I do having lived it all my life, and I won't be upset with you." To the Grangers. "I would not think to try to impose my beliefs on her artificially, though of course I hope she shares this with me, but not understanding the traditions surrounding the Old Faith can lead to social and political difficulties, especially in the high society circles we circulate."

The Grangers nodded. They were not religious, and had never taught Hermione religion, but they weren't inherently against her learning the religion of her birth family, so long as Gloriana kept to her word and did not push Hermione into following it.

"What is the Old Faith?" Hermione asked curiously. Dan smiled. He'd been wondering when she would have a question that couldn't wait.

"It's the oldest religion practiced in the wizarding world," Sirius answered. "It's very commonly practiced in traditional families - mine, James', Glory's, and Luther's all included. It is the worship of magic's manifestation on the earth and in nature. James and I taught the Old Faith to Lils leading up to our wedding, because we were married in the Faith, and she said it bears some similarity to neo-pagan religions in the muggle world. James and I suspected that was the result of cultural interaction - as much as the wizarding world is a secret, we are in close contact with the muggle world and there is some information bleed-over." Hermione noticed Harry hanging on Sirius' every word as the man discussed Harry's other parents. Sirius noticed too, and gave the boy a smile. "I agree with Glory. The two of you should learn about it at the very least."

Harry and Hermione both nodded, and the Grangers looked on in acceptance. There was a few moments of silence, as Gloriana waited to see if there were any other questions.

"Alright, magical theory I've starred for the same reason as Latin. It will help your spellcasting once you go to Hogwarts to have an understanding of the way that magic works. The last item on the list, cultural differences, I've marked with two stars because it isn't something that we can easily devise lessons on despite its importance."

"Why is that?" Harry asked hesitantly. Hermione smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"All three of us - Sirius, Luther, and myself - grew up with traditional wizarding culture. Because of that, much of it seems natural or obvious to us and may surprise you as you learn of it. Luther and I have identified some major cultural differences we noticed when we learned to navigate the muggle world, and Sirius may have some additional insight because of his relationship with Lily, but the best way for you two to learn about all of the differences in culture will be to watch and ask questions when you don't know what we're doing or why."

"Okay," Hermione agreed eagerly, and all  _five_ adults at the table chuckled a bit.

Harry was more hesitant. "I'll try," he finally said. 

Hermione watched as Sirius moved slowly to lay a hand on Harry's shoulder, and give him a supportive squeeze that was barely a twitch of his hand. Harry had stiffened at the contact, but relaxed quickly, and Hermione realized that Sirius knew exactly what he needed to do for his son.

"Dan, Emma," Luther said, "We wanted to discuss getting your home warded and connected to the floo system. We really want this done as quickly as possible, so that it's both safe and convenient for you to interact more with the magical world from your home. It is getting late, however. Would your family like to spend the night?"

"Are you sure?" Dan asked. "We wouldn't want to impose. Sirius and Harry have just gotten here today."

"It's no imposition. We had rooms set up in the family wing for you all when we signed our agreement at the DMLE, just in case. Sirius and Harry are moving into the guest wing so they can have some privacy to get to know one another again if they want it."

"We open our practice at nine, so we'll need to be back at home by half eight," Emma said.

"We can apparate you just after breakfast. Hopefully the floo will be operational soon, and then you'll be able to come and go at the manor as you please."

Sirius stood, leaning on the table for support. "I can tell this conversation is going to be dull. Why don't I take the kids on a quick tour? It'll be short, since I can't walk the whole house, but I remember it all well enough."

"That would be lovely, Sirius, thank you," Gloriana said with a smile.

 

The tour saw two sitting rooms, and Gloriana's and Luther's studies before being completely derailed in the manor's library. Sirius laughed at her - actually laughed, not just an amused chuckle - but Hermione was so lost in awe that she couldn't bring herself to be offended. The library in Braxton Manor was as large as the university library at King's College she'd been allowed to visit just once with her parents.

"You really like books, don't you?" Harry asked her. He seemed more at ease, away from the large group.

"I  _love_ them," Hermione said breathlessly. After another moment, she tore her gaze away from the shelves and looked to Harry. "There are whole worlds in books, you know? I started reading picture books when I was only four and a half, my parents say. I read longer fiction in grade one. Even non-fiction books - they don't have their  _own_ worlds, but they have pieces of ours. Pieces I might never get to see on my own, like foreign countries or microscopic organisms. And  _now_ , here is a whole new world that I can explore! I'll see as much of it as I can with my own eyes, but a book can take me anywhere."

Sirius smiled at her, perfectly genuinely. "We can stay in the library, if you like. I'm sure your parents will guess where to find us."

Hermione nodded. "Walk with me, Harry?" she asked.

"Alright," he agreed. Sirius sat down in an armchair by the door, as Hermione led Harry deeper into the library. She ran her hands reverently over the spines, reading the titles from a world she was just now entering. 

"It doesn't seem real," Harry said after they'd wandered silently for awhile.

Hermione pulled the book her hand was touching from the shelf without looking at its title, and sat down on the floor. Harry followed her lead, leaning against a bookshelf behind him. Hermione kept a hand on the book, as if she couldn't bare to be parted from them, but didn't open it. Neither of them said anything for awhile. Ten and eleven year olds didn't usually sit quietly, but Hermione had never had many people to talk to and she got the impression that Harry was the same.

"Are we going to be friends?" she asked, eventually.

Harry smiled hopefully. "I hope so. As long as you know that I'm never going to love to read as much as you."

"No one ever does. I have a tendency to be a know-it-all that you'll need to be ready for."

Harry grinned. "Deal."

"Deal," Hermione said as she grinned back.


	6. A New World

_27 September 1990_

Hermione woke up in the Heir's Suite at Braxton Manor the following morning. The  _rooms_ prepared for her and her parents in the family wing of the manor were massive. Hermione's suite included a bedroom as large as hers at home, plus a moderately sized sitting room, a full bath with a wonderfully magical tub, and a walk-in closet. It was decorated in pale blues and greens with silk wallcovering, as in the rest of the manor, and the softest bedsheets Hermione had ever felt. She'd been told she could redecorate it if she wanted.

For now, it was more than fine. Maybe she'd add a personal touch to it later, if she ended up spending a lot of nights here.

Her birth parents slept in the Lord and Lady's Suite, to the left of her rooms and closer to the main portion of the manor. She'd been given a short look inside - it contained all of the same parts as her own suite, but even larger. Her adoptive parents had been given the rooms to the right of the Heir's Suite. They didn't have a sitting room, but the bedroom was larger for its lack.

 

At breakfast, Hermione immediately took the seat next to Harry, who was already there with Sirius, and smiled at him. Harry smiled back at her, and she relaxed. Hermione was pretty sure Harry wanted to be her friend, and she definitely wanted to be his, but it wouldn't be the first time someone got tired of her quickly.

"Are you going to be late for school, Hermione?" Gloriana asked her with a touch of concern.

Hermione shook her head. "My school doesn't have a summer holiday- we go to school all year, but have short breaks sometimes so we don't actually have more school days than other people. Or at least, not so many more. I like it, because I like to learn, and mum and dad like it because it keeps me busy. We're on one of the short breaks this week and last week, so I don't have to go to school today."

"Oh, well that's good."

Hermione nodded vigorously, before hesitating. "What do you want me to call you?" she asked. "In my head, I've been calling you two my birth parents, because that's who you are since I'm adopted, but that doesn't work as well out loud, and now that we're getting to know each other it feels different than how I've thought of my birth parents all my life."

Gloriana looked to Luther, and then to Dan and Emma where they sat next to Hermione. When she answered her voice was careful, but every person present could hear the longing in it. "The names Mum and Dad are already taken in your life, and I hope that never changes, but I also hope that someday you'll call us Mother and Father. Only- only if you're comfortable, though. Not before. Until then, you can call us anything you'd like."

"Okay," Hermione said quietly. "I'll have to think about what's comfortable."

Hermione looked around, and saw that no one looked surprised at that.

Harry was looking at Sirius. "Do you want me to call you 'Dad'?"

"When you were a baby," Sirius choked a bit, "You called me Dada. James was Papa, and Lily was Mumma. Sometimes you called me Pada, because my nickname is Padfoot. You are and always will be my son. But- just like Glory- not before you're comfortable."

"I think I want to call you Dad. Is that strange? I know I only just met you again yesterday, but I already feel close to you."

"Maybe it's easier because you didn't already have a Dad before Sirius found you," Hermione said. Immediately, she noticed the reproachful looks she was getting from all four of her parents. "That was too blunt," she admitted, flushing in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. Have I mentioned that I'm really looking forward to lessons in social etiquette? Having rules for how to talk to people sounds _wonderful_."

The adults laughed, breaking the tension, and Hermione took the moment to nudge Harry and mouth,  _sorry._ Harry shrugged and smiled ruefully, and Hermione hoped that meant they were okay. 

"Part of the reason that Sirius feels so familiar to you, Harry, is your magical sense. It's like I told the Grangers when we met- your magic knows Sirius' magic. It will be even stronger for you, Harry, because Sirius is your father by virtue of his magic."

"It's not strange," Sirius said, pulling Harry into a one-armed hug. "I love you, kiddo."

When the moment had passed, Hermione looked to Gloriana again. "I have a family question that I haven't gotten time to ask yet. On my blood test, it said you have a brother. Do I have an uncle?"

"Yes," Gloriana said with a smile. "You do. My brother Gerald and I are very close, and I hope for you to meet him and his family relatively soon. He has a wife, who I don't like very much, and two daughters. Your cousins are lovely girls. The elder, Daphne, will be in your year at Hogwarts. Astoria is nearly two years younger, but will be in the school year below you and Daphne."

Neither her mum or her dad had any siblings, so she'd never had cousins. Especially none her own age. Her godmother had a son, but he was eight years older than Hermione, and hadn't had any patience for spending time with her despite Hermione's advanced intelligence. "Why don't you like his wife?"

"There's nothing-  _wrong_ with your aunt. Her name is Posy, she was a Parkinson before she married. Her views on blood purity are more stringent than mine or Gerald's, but not extreme. I simply think our parents could have done better in choosing a match for my brother. She's horribly boring."

"Oh." Hermione paused. "How common, exactly, are arranged marriages? Will I have one?"

"Would it make you happy?" Luther asked her.

Hermione slowly shook her head. "I don't think so. It seems- odd- to me."

"Then you won't," he said simply. "More than half of marriages between old families with Lord and Lady status are arranged, but it isn't a requirement. Your happiness will always be our first priority, Hermione."

Hermione nodded gratefully, and returned to her breakfast. 

Emma glanced at her watch. "Dan and I need to be going to get to our practice. Hermione, would you like to come with us like usual, or do you want to stay here?"

"Stay!" Hermione said, too quickly. "That is, I'd like to stay, please." Her parents' dental practice, which she usually spent the day at when she was off school, was horribly dull. She brought along books and entertained herself, as she had for years ever since her parents decided she didn't need a full-time nanny anymore, but here there was a whole library, and magic, and Harry.

Dan chuckled as he stood up. "We thought so."

"Have a wonderful day, darling," Emma said as she kissed Hermione's hair. "We'll see you after work."

 

Gloriana and Luther returned after escorting the Doctors Granger back to London to find Hermione, Harry, and Sirius once again in the library. "Our tailor is coming this afternoon to put together proper wardrobes for Harry and Sirius," he said simply. "If you'd like, Hermione, he can also take your measurements for some more formal wizarding outfits."

"Will I need them?" Hermione asked him. "Mum and Dad only bought me the school uniforms from Madame Malkin's when we went to Diagon Alley - the school letter didn't say anything about needing other wizarding clothing."

"It will always be your choice how you dress," he told her simply. That was something they'd repeated a lot - things were her choice. Hermione liked that. She wanted to learn about her heritage and the wizarding world, but she wasn't ready to commit herself to the traditions without understanding them yet. "In the future, you will be expected to attend parties and balls which will require formal dress but we will provide you with appropriately fashionable clothing for the season. For now, we thought to offer you the chance to have some casual wizarding clothing made to wear at your own leisure. Even if you have them made and then choose not to wear them, that would be okay. In public you'll stand out less in traditional clothing, which may or may not be what you prefer."

Hermione thought about the way she'd seen people dress in the wizarding world. Nearly everyone in Diagon Alley had been wearing robes, and she and her parents had been noticed immediately in their muggle clothes. Her birth mother wore dresses each time they'd seen each other, which were slightly old fashioned by muggle standards but looked comfortable. At least they weren't corseted. "I suppose it can't hurt to have them made, then."

"Excellent," Gloriana said with a wobbly smile. Hermione guessed she'd always wanted to choose outfits for her daughter - it was something that her Mum wasn't concerned about but she knew other girls' mums often did. "Now, we won't start all of your lessons just yet, but there is something in the safety category we should cover before the tailor comes."

That made Hermione feel a bit nervous, and she bit her lip.

"Our tailor is someone we know and trust," Luther assured her. "But these safety rules are things that you'll need to make a habit of as quickly as possible."

Gloriana sat in the armchair next to where Hermione had been reading. "Your hair should always be confined," she said as she gently ran her fingers through Hermione's curls. "There are spells and potions which require the essence of a person. The most common is the polyjuice potion, which gives the drinker the appearance of another person - the person whose essence was used - for a short period of time. These spells and potions can be dangerous to you, and hair is the most common source of essence used. It has that pesky tendency to fall out, you see..."

Hermione nodded in understanding as she brought her own hand to her hair. It was loose, and a bit wild. "I don't know how to do much with my hair," she admitted. "Mum and Dad tried- they had someone teach them after they adopted me- but it was never something they got very good at, and for the last few years we've mostly let it do what it pleases."

"I'll teach you," Gloriana told her. "Styling hair like ours is a skill that takes practice. There are spells to help ease the process, and I'll teach you those as well."

"Thank you."

"That goes for you, too, Harry," Sirius said. "Men sometimes ignore this rule if they prefer to wear their hair short, but your face is a valuable one. You can either grow it out and tie it back, which I recommend, or use potions to slick it back."

Harry grimaced. "I'll grow it out."

Sirius let out a barking laugh. "I thought so."

Hermione moved to sit in front of Gloriana as the woman pulled out her wand. "The first spell prepares your hair for braiding. There are potions for it as well. Overusing the charm can lead to damage, but it's wonderful when you're short on time." Gloriana waved her wand, and in seconds Hermione's hair lost any hints of frizz.

"How much is overusing?" Hermione asked. If her hair was going to be braided, it could stay that way for some time so long as she didn't want a different type of style.

"I don't honestly know," Gloriana told her. "My mother told me that when she taught me the charm, and now I've told you. I've never felt as though I've overused the charm, and I'll admit that I use it almost exclusively over the potions. There are also hair potions that will recover the damage, if you do feel that you need to at any time."

"Well- that's-"

"Frustrating, isn't it?" Gloriana asked mildly as she began to separate Hermione's hair for braiding. "I'm going to start with box braids, and then we'll style them in a simple updo."

"I used to wear braids all the time," Hermione told her birth mother. "Mum and Dad thought it might be lower maintenance, before I was old enough to work with my hair on my own every day."

"I still wear them all the time," Gloriana told her. "I personally feel that any style which doesn't start with braids isn't confined enough to keep someone from finding my hairs unattended." She then ran her wand over the section of hair she'd separated from root to tip, speaking a spell as she did. The hair braided itself under her wand, perfectly even and much faster than braiding by hand.

"That's so much more convenient!" Hermione exclaimed, remembering how long it took to get her hair braided as a little girl. There was a reason she hadn't wanted to sit and continue the practice. Hermione wasn't sure if not braiding her hair actually saved her much time, given how unmanageable she considered it, but it  _felt_ like it did.

"And my mother never warned me about overusing this one, either," Gloriana answered with a smile. 

In just a few minutes, Hermione's hair was completely done. Sectioning the hair had taken more time than braiding it. Next, Gloriana swept Hermione's bangs to the side, and cast a light sticking charm. "Sticking charms mean we don't have to put pins or ties in your hair to put it up. Because you can't use magic at your home in London, I'll have to remove those before you leave."

As Gloriana wound Hermione's hair into a simple, but elegant bun, Hermione had a thought. "Can I use magic here? The way you said that- and saying you'll teach me these spells- it sounds like I can."

"Of course," Gloriana told her. "The Ministry will never know. The wards on the manor are ancient. This type of ward is no longer legal to cast, but perfectly legal to have and maintain, because they completely cloak use of magic within them from outside monitoring. Nearly every old family has these wards, and takes advantage of them with early tutoring for their heirs."

"That's hardly fair to everyone else," Hermione grumbled half-heartedly. She wouldn't complain about being allowed to practice magic outside of school, but she didn't have to _like_ the unequal treatment.

"Will I need to do something with my hair today?" Harry asked in a lull in the conversation, the distaste obvious in his expression.

Sirius looked to Gloriana. "Who did you say was your tailor, Glory?"

"Trevor Jordan."

"The Jordans are good people," Sirius responded. "I won't make you slick your hair for the tailor today, but we'll give you a potion to use when you wash it that will help it grow faster and avoid going in public where we might encounter the wizarding world until it's long enough to tie back. That shouldn't take long, and then we can go to Diagon Alley and get you your wand so that you can practice if you want."

"Alright," Harry agreed easily.

 

Luther and Gloriana spent the remaining time before lunch teaching Hermione and Harry to play wizard's chess, while Sirius went for a walk on the manor's grounds in order to get the light exercise that would help him recover faster from his time in prison. Both children were at least semi-familiar with the muggle version of the game, and the rules stayed the same, but needed time to grow accustomed to directing their pieces verbally using the grid system and coping with their commentary. The first time she witnessed one piece take another, smashing it to bits, Hermione's mouth dropped open.

"That's  _barbaric_."

Luther, who was playing against her, smiled. "That's wizard's chess." After seeing that Hermione's shock wasn't diminishing, he spoke up again. "Remember that these chess pieces are stone, charmed to move and speak. Even their memory for the players' strategy is a superficial enchantment. The pieces do not feel pain or fear, they are not alive, and the charms on them will repair them automatically once the match is won by either player."

Hermione deflated. "It seems unnecessarily violent."

"It isn't worse than the video games my cousin plays," Harry said from his own game with Gloriana before grimacing. "Not that I think my cousin is a good example when it comes to violence, but the games are popular - lots of people play them."

"I suppose," Hermione groused back, mildly irritated with her new friend.

"If you don't like the game, we can play something else," Luther offered.

Hermione shook her head, and spotted her next move. She liked the intellectual aspects of chess - she could get used to the simulated violence. "Queen to D4."

 

Gloriana left to the Grangers' house in London at lunchtime to meet Hermione's mum and dad, a ward master, and the Ministry worker who would set up the floo connection. Luther walked with Hermione and Harry to the dining room, where Sirius was already waiting. The meal was a light soup and salad, and much of it was spent with Hermione bemoaning the violent nature of magical games - an opinion which was magnified as Sirius happily told her about Quidditch (bludgers), card games (explosions), and gobstones (explosions of smelly goo). Sirius was clearly having the time of his life goading Hermione, and she seemed to be handling it well enough that Luther felt no guilt in not stopping the man. Harry was dying of laughter, as well.

Sirius was about to start in on disgusting wizarding candies when Luther felt the wards shift with the arrival of the tailor, and urged everyone into the sitting room where Jordan would be doing measurements.

 

"Hullo, everyone!" Said Jordan as the four entered the sitting room. "Let's get started, shall we? Ladies first!"

Hermione, prodded by Luther, approached the tailor. Trevor Jordan was a twenty-something black man with a cheerful disposition, dressed neatly in crimson robes with his hair buzzed short. As soon as Hermione was in position, a tape measure began moving about her on her own, taking her measurements as Hermione tried to get her arms out of its way. On a nearby table, a quill was automatically taking notes.

"So, what are you looking for today?" Jordan asked Hermione.

She blinked. "I don't know, really. Just- wizarding and casual."

"No need for a full wardrobe for her, Jordan, unless she wants it. Hermione has clothes that she likes. Maybe a robe and a dress in each of the big four?"

Jordan nodded his agreement, as if that made perfect sense. "Big four?" Hermione asked.

"The house colors," Luther said with a laugh. "Red, blue, green, and yellow get associated the most with the Hogwarts houses, to the point where some people avoid wearing them while they're in school. But at the same time, they're all basic colors, and fairly impossible to avoid. Since you won't be sorted for quite some time, I thought a balance of the four. Unless you don't like one of them?"

Hermione didn't usually wear yellow, but there was no real _reason_ for that. Especially since these clothes were being tailor-made for her. "No, that sounds fine."

The measurements took about ten minutes for each person, followed by time spent deciding on styles and colors. Hermione was finished the quickest, while Harry's and Sirius' need for full wardrobes - both wizarding and muggle - took much longer. Gloriana wandered in at some point, no doubt having finished the work at Hermione's house in London. In all, it was nearly dinner time by the time Jordan was finished taking down notes for everyone.

After seeing Jordan out, the Braxtons taught Hermione how to use the floo, and Gloriana accompanied her back to London after she said her goodbyes.

 

Dan and Emma's eyes went wide when they saw Hermione step out of their fireplace, despite having had the whole process explained to them in detail as the floo was being installed. Hermione hugged Gloriana as she said goodbye, and in moments she was excitedly telling her mum and dad about her day at the Manor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on tumblr! My main blog is themadmage.tumblr.com and I post fanfic-related content at themadmage-fanfiction.tumblr.com.
> 
>  
> 
> It took me ages to decide on Harry's names for his parents in his infancy. Because of Lord of the Vows, I associate the name 'Papa' with Remus' mild-mannered attitude and had a hard time thinking of either James or Sirius that way, but I also couldn't think of a better name for a second father after 'Dad' and its derivatives. 
> 
> Alternate Version:  
> "When you were a baby," Sirius choked a bit, "You called James Dada, Lily Mumma, and I was Old Man."  
> "Old Man?"  
> Sirius nodded. "In perfect, formal English. Dada and Mumma were in your little baby voice. Lily used a spell to teach you to call me Old Man, you see..."
> 
> The version that made it into the story is probably better.


	7. Trial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I picture Gerald Greengrass looking at bit like Daveed Diggs, but darker skinned, if anyone is curious. I don't do full fancasts so I haven't got celebrity references for any of the other OCs, but his face jumped into my mind instantly.

_28th September 1990_

"Now I'd like the two of you to practice introducing yourselves formally, as though you've just met," Luther told Harry and Hermione.

It was the pair's first lesson on social etiquette - Hermione's new favorite subject - and they were focusing on greetings and introductions. They'd already covered how to introduce someone you knew to someone else. It was always preferable to be introduced rather than to introduce yourself, but if you didn't have a mutual acquaintance on hand then it could be unavoidable.

Hermione took a deep breath, and extended her hand as elegantly as she could. It was a far cry from the natural grace of Gloriana, but it was already less stiff than she'd been at the beginning of the lesson. "I am Heiress Hermione Braxton-Granger. May Magic bless our meeting."

Harry bowed his head slightly and awkwardly took Hermione's hand, which was gloved since they were pretending to be at a formal party. He barely touched her hand at all, and she was sure he needed to grip it a bit tighter. "May our meeting be- blessed, Heiress Braxton-Granger. I'm Harry Potter, Heir to House Black."

"A pleasure, Heir Black," Hermione replied, trying to sound like her mother had - proud, but not snobbish. It was a delicate balance.

"The pleasure is mine," Harry answered her quickly. He held onto her hand for another beat before letting go and dropping it to his side. Behind him, Hermione could see Sirius suppress a chuckle.

"That was good," Luther told them. He sounded surprisingly genuine. "It was a bit uncomfortable, I could tell, but it'll get more natural with practice. Harry- grip Hermione's hand just a little tighter when you take it. Try it now."

Hermione gave him her hand, and Harry took it. She winced. "A bit too tight. Firm, but don't squeeze. There, that's good."

Hermione relaxed, and gave Harry an encouraging smile, which Luther mimicked. "You both did very well with the blessing - remember that that is only necessary when you are making an introduction for yourself."

The children practiced twice more before Luther took out his wand and, after a flick, the time was shown suspended in the air. Quarter past eleven. "Let's go to the receiving room," Gloriana suggested. "My brother's family should be here soon."

A flick of Sirius' wand sent the books they'd taken out to use that morning back to their appropriate places on the shelves, while Harry and Hermione both watched the casual use of magic with hungry expressions. Harry wouldn't be able to go to Diagon Alley for his wand until next week at the earliest - Sirius was very insistent that if he appeared in such a public place before his hair was long enough to tie back that there would be hundreds of Harry Potters running around - and Hermione had magnanimously agreed to wait to learn any spell casting until Harry could too. 

 

A tall man with a strong resemblance to Hermione's mother stepped out of the floo at half past eleven exactly. He was dressed in sharply cut emerald green robes, and his hair was pulled into a tight tail at the nape of his neck. Left loose, it would have been a large afro. His somewhat severe expression softened nto a warm smile immediately when he looked at Gloriana. "Hello, little sister."

"Hello, Gerald. It's always good to see you." Glory stepped forward and pulled her brother into a hug, before gesturing to Hermione to join them. "Gerald, may I present to you my daughter, Heiress Hermione Emilia Jean Braxton-Granger. Hermione, this is Lord Gerald Joseph Greengrass, my brother and your uncle."

Hermione recognized the formal introduction they'd practiced earlier, and dipped into her best curtsy as she'd been taught. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Uncle."

"The pleasure is mine," Gerald returned warmly. "Now, we're family. No need to be formal. Can I have a hug?"

Hermione smiled, and broke from the formality to step into her uncle's open arms. "Harry and I have just learned the forms for greetings today, Uncle."

"And you've done excellently."

"Hermione," Luther said kindly. "Do you want to practice introducing Harry?"

Hermione nodded excitedly as she stepped back from the man. "Uncle, may I present to you my good friend, Harry James Sirius Potter, Heir of House Black. Harry, this is Lord Gerald Joseph Greengrass, my uncle."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Greengrass," Harry said as he gave a slight, nervous bow. His words were steady, but his voice was thin. 

"The pleasure is mine," Gerald returned again, his voice no less warm. "You both seem to be learning very quickly."

"Gerald, you remember Sirius Black?" Luther asked his brother in law.

"I do," he replied with a nod. "Lord Black, I offer my deepest condolences for the tragedies you have suffered."

"My thanks, Lord Greengrass," Sirius responded in the most solemn voice Hermione or Harry had heard from him. "And, as we are all in the company of friends, I give you leave to address me by my given name."

"And you, likewise."

"Where are the girls?" Gloriana asked, once the men had worked their way through what was clearly a form Hermione and Harry hadn't been taught yet.

He chuckled lightly. "Daphne left her wand in her bedroom. I told her there is no need to carry it in public as yet, but she insisted on going back for it. Posy will be through with both of our daughters any minute."

The adults chatted idly until the floo lit green and, one by one, each of the three remaining Greengrasses stepped out. Hermione found herself envious at the ease with which her cousins exited the floo. She'd taken the floo twice now, to London yesterday and the manor this morning, and ended up in a heap on the floor both times. Seeing an adult do it well was different than seeing someone her own age - or younger - accomplish it effortlessly. (After putting her head in the fireplace to let Hermione's mum and dad know she'd made it safely, her mother had said they would find a time to practice.)

The group made their way through the introductory forms again for each person present, and Hermione could tell why her mother didn't like Aunt Posy. Where Gloriana wore her pride gracefully and Gerald charmingly, Posy was snooty.

 

Once everyone was properly acquainted, they made their way to the dining room for lunch. The children - Hermione, Harry, Daphne, and Astoria - sat at one end of the table while the adults sat at the other. "At a more formal meal," Gloriana told her, "each Heir and Heiress would sit to the left of the family's Head with their spouse to their right. This is adjusted accordingly when you have spouses who are not present or triads. This more informal arrangement is acceptable when dining among family and close friends, as it is more comfortable to converse with your peers. At a formal meal with formal seating arrangements, you children would be expected to eat in silence unless you were addressed during the course of the adults' conversation."

Harry just nodded. Hermione was about to open her mouth to ask a question when Posy spoke up. "This is obvious, Gloriana," she said scathingly, "something they ought to already know, unless they lack intellect."

Hermione's brow furrowed when she saw Harry curl in on himself slightly, and she searched for a way to respond. Her mother beat her to it, however. "It is only obvious to you and your girls, Posy, because you've been raised with these formalities." Her words were polite, but the tone was hard. "Hermione and Harry have only just returned to the magical world and we are working to catch them up in their social education."

Posy sniffed, but didn't say anything further, and Gerald gave her a reproachful look. Hermione noticed that her cousins were looking politely curious, so she gently nudged Harry before telling the two girls about their morning. After a few moments Harry joined in hesitantly, and Hermione cheered internally. 

The conversation flowed through other relatively safe topics through the rest of the meal, and Hermione was glad for it. Not only did she want to avoid seeing Harry upset by her family members again, but it kept her distracted from the reason that they were all meeting that day. At two o'clock, they'd all be going to the Ministry of Magic to witness the trial of Lucius Malfoy.

 

Hermione was comforted by the fact that Harry didn't cope with the floo any better than she did. She watched Sirius pick him up off the floor and clean the soot from his robes the same way her mother had done for her moments earlier just before the Greengrass girls stepped gracefully out of the fireplace and reignited her jealousy. Harry was looking around the Ministry atrium in awe, and Hermione was hit by the realization that she'd seen it for the first time just eight days ago. So much had happened since then. 

She was also still very impressed by the grandeur. 

Their party of nine skipped the registration line and headed straight towards the courtroom. Gloriana and Luther were required to testify, so they'd be seated in the section reserved for witnesses while Hermione would sit with Sirius, Harry, and the Greengrass family in the observers' section.

There had been a lot of discussion among Hermione's four parents about whether she should be allowed to attend the trial, and the final decision had been based on who would be available to sit with her. Having only been out of Azkaban prison for two days, Dan and Emma didn't feel that Sirius should be solely responsible for two children, even in such a public setting. Hermione had to admit that she reluctantly agreed. He already looked much better than he had on Wednesday - he must be on some sort of intense magical healing program to recover so quickly - but there was a good chance that they'd be hearing about some very adult, possibly traumatizing things today. Hermione fully realized that the trial might end up being more than she could handle, and the same could be true for Harry or even Sirius given the various circumstances they'd just come out of. She was a bit surprised that her cousin Astoria, who had just turned nine, was allowed to attend. She wasn't going to question her aunt and uncle over it, though. They surely knew the sort of things that could be discussed and what their daughter could handle better than Hermione did.

Whispers followed the group as they walked - Potter and Braxton and Lost Girl and Boy Who Lived. Several people looked like they wanted to approach the two famous children, but the adults of their group bracketed them in and kept the strangers at bay with the aristocratic power they radiated. 

 

When they reached the courtroom, Hermione was surprised to see it packed full. Then she considered the articles the  _Daily Prophet_ had been running about her and decided it was only logical. Her mother and father each gave her a hug before joining the witness section. There was an empty bench at the front of the observers' section - the only empty seats in the house with the trial about to begin. Between the noble statuses of the Braxtons, Blacks, and Greengrasses and their relation to the case these seats were reserved. 

One by one, men and women in plum colored robes filed in and took their seats in the only empty section remaining. "These are the sitting members of the Wizengamot," Sirius murmured under his breath to Harry and Hermione on either side of him. "You'll both inherit seats on this body when you're older. Those seats are empty today - Hermione, your family cannot vote on this case because they're the victims, and Harry, I won't take my seat until I'm properly recovered from Azkaban." Hermione looked nervously around - Sirius was explaining these things to them because they hadn't had a chance to learn it yet, but she worried that others would be upset by his talking in the courtroom. "We're sitting inside a privacy spell, at our request," Sirius added when he noticed. "The Greengrasses can hear us, but only them. You're free to ask questions."

"Oh," Hermione said softly. "Then why are we whispering?"

Sirius shrugged with a lopsided grin. "Feels wrong to speak aloud, doesn't it?"

Harry and Hermione both nodded as the Wizengamot members sat down. Once they were assembled, a door that Hermione hadn't noticed before opened at the floor and a tall blonde man was escorted into the room by a man and a woman in maroon robes. "Those are Aurors - like police and detectives for the magical world. And Lucius Malfoy, of course." Hermione squeaked in shock when, upon Malfoy being pushed down into the chair in the center of the room, chains sprung from its arms and legs and bound the man there tightly. He didn't bat an eye, and even as she hated him a little for what he'd done to her family Hermione envied his composure.

"Were- were you bound like that, Dad?" Harry asked softly. Hermione's eyes widened - she hadn't thought of the implications of the fact that Sirius had a trial like this so recently.

"No," the man replied with a small shake of his head. "The chains react differently to each person. I wasn't restrained at all, but I don't know if it's because I was innocent or because I was so weak. Possibly both. No one knows exactly how the chair is charmed, it's too old, but it definitely appears to be need-based."

Albus Dumbledore stood then, in the center of the front row of the Wizengamot. Hermione knew that he was the Chief Warlock, along with being Headmaster of Hogwarts, so she tuned out Sirius' explanation for the moment. She'd read about Dumbledore in  _Modern Magical History_ and  _Hogwarts, A History_ already. The title Chief Warlock hadn't meant much to her when she initially read it, but now she was understanding that he seemed to be in charge of the Wizengamot. It was surely more nuanced than that, but it would be covered in the politics lessons that she and Harry were to have soon. She could wait. The tension Hermione carried over exactly  _what_ she was witnessing had slightly dampened her incessant desire to learn.

"The Wizengamot is gathered today for the trial of Lord Lucius Abraxas Malfoy. Lord Malfoy has been charged with the kidnapping of a pureblood child and attempted line theft. 

 

"And once he had admitted under Veritaserum that he assisted with kidnapping Hermione for that monster under his own free will, the Wizengamot passed a motion to try Malfoy for the full extent of a Death Eater's crimes. This meant, of course, that the trial had to be suspended and rescheduled, so that evidence aside from the potioned testimony could be gathered."

Dan paused as he and his wife took in the abbreviated version of the trial that Glory had given them. He and Emma had arrived at the manor after closing their practice for the day and been introduced to Gerald and Posy just in time to eat dinner. "Do you think he'll be convicted?"

"Of the kidnapping? Almost certainly. Line theft was always going to be a more difficult charge, and the fact that he wasn't working for himself makes it harder to say. For the new charges - I couldn't say. It will depend entirely on what the DMLE can prove."

Emma glanced over at the children, who were having their own discussion, and noticed that Hermione seemed distracted. "What did you think of things today, darling?"

"Oh!" Hermione looked to where the adults were talking. "I'm very glad that I went to the trial and got to see how the Wizengamot works for something like this, but I wish that they'd been able to reach a verdict today. I was- I was really hoping to be able to see this resolved." She hesitated, before continuing in a resigned tone. "I won't be able to go to the new trial, will I?"

Several of the adults gave her sympathetic looks, though her Aunt Posy looked as though she was barely refraining from rolling her eyes. "I'm sorry, dear," Luther told her. "It's the same reason that we didn't invite you to Sirius' trial before we found out the truth. A full Death Eater trial is just too intense, too possibly graphic, for someone your age."

Hermione nodded for a moment, and then went back to discussing favorite games with the others her age. Daphne and Astoria had never had much interaction with the muggle world, and so they were fascinated by the wide variety of board games that Hermione was able to describe. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry to anyone who really wanted to read the trial. I couldn't write it. It fought me and fought me, and finally I decided to just skim past it so that I could finish and post the chapter and MOVE ON with this story.


	8. Family

_1 October 1990_

Hermione and Harry both looked up from the Latin primer they'd been reviewing together in the library when the door clicked open. Her mum and Sirius strode in, and took seats at the same table.

"You'll be back in school tomorrow," Emma said unnecessarily. Hermione nodded. She was very aware of her school schedule. It would be very strange to go back to classes like nothing had changed. Because her birth parents had no official records in the muggle world, Hermione wouldn't even be able to discuss meeting them.

"What do you think of your school?" Sirius asked.

Hermione blinked in surprise, realizing he was addressing her. "I like it. I've already told you about the schedule we follow, which I enjoy. The teachers are all nice, and the library is smaller than this one but still quite good. The librarian likes me, and let's me take books out onto the playground."

Sirius cleared his throat and nodded, looking thoughtful. "Harry will need to continue some sort of schooling, until Hogwarts next year. I'd originally thought to hire a private tutor. Harry's last school wasn't a good fit, and honestly he would have had to be _very_ attached to it for me to allow him to continue at a school so close to Lily's relatives. But you two have become close already. What would you both think of Harry going to the same school you do?"

Hermione's face lit up, and she looked hopefully at Harry, pleased to see he didn't look upset with the idea. No one had missed the fact that every positive thing she had said about her school had been about the facilities or staff. The biggest thing the school was missing was friends her age. The other kids were only occasionally cruel, but she didn't get on with any of them the way she did with Harry.

"You could take the floo to our house in the mornings," Emma elaborated while Harry considered it. "Dan or I would take both you and Hermione to the school in the morning before going to our practice. In the past, Hermione has come to the surgery at the end of the school day, but all of us adults agree that you're mature enough to walk to our house from the school as long as you're together, and then you could take the floo back here. Hermione would come with you until we close the practice, and stay for dinner or even overnight on occasion."

Harry nodded slowly, and Hermione grinned. "I think that would be nice," he said quietly. "It'll be good to have a- friend, at school."

Hermione couldn't fight her excitement, and threw her arms around Harry. He startled so much that she almost pulled away and apologized, but he recovered first and awkwardly wrapped one at, around her shoulders.

 

_2 October 1990_

Hermione chattered excitedly at Harry as they walked to her house following their first day as classmates. Her parents had told the school administration that Harry was her distant cousin, who was staying with them for personal reasons, and requested he be put in the same class as her for his comfort. She didn't know exactly how they'd handled official documents, but her dad had looked a little guilty so she assumed they'd used fake ones.

The school day had been one of her best ever. Hermione had been in her element; showing Hardy around the school and introducing him to her favorite teachers and faculty members, _especially_ the librarian. Mrs. Hobbins had been happy to meet her _cousin_ , and had spent most of the break helping him find books he'd like. Harry had clutched the book about the boxcar children like it was made of gold, and Hermione hoped that she and Mrs. Hobbins could make a proper reader out of him yet.

As excited as she was, Hermione was still very careful to pay attention to where they were going. This was the first time she'd been allowed to make this walk without an adult, and she knew the neighborhood better than Harry did so it was her job to make sure they got to her house safely and didn't lose the privilege. She knew her mum and dad were nervous about the arrangement, even though they'd helped to plan it, and the only thing that would help would be seeing her safe at the end of the day.

 

Sirius was waiting for them in her house - they were getting better at coming out of the floo on their feet, but it was still better if they didn't take it without an adult until they had more practice. He took them back to the manor, where they settled into one of the sitting rooms. Since it was the first day after a break, they hadn't been assigned any homework and were able to relax.

Hermione dug into one of her new magical books, _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_. She had taken up a lot of Harry's time since meeting him, but she wanted to let him get to know his dad, too. She understood, after all, with her own reunion just as recent. Sirius saw through what she was doing, but she was pretty sure he appreciated the chance to be the center of Harry's focus too. 

Harry was clinging to Sirius' every word as he told his son about his grandparents - James Potter's parents. The combination of history and family set a train of thought going which Hermione was helpless to stop, but she did restrain herself once it reached its end until there was a lull in Sirius' storytelling.

"Can I ask a question?" she asked, uncharacteristically hesitant. Sirius and Harry both turned to face her, and she bit her lip. "My father told Mum, Dad, and I that you were married to James and Lily. But none of the history books I've read so far say that. Why?" Sirius grimaced, and Hermione bit her lip again. Voice small, she added, "You don't have to say."

Sirius shook his head, as if he could shed the memories the way a dog sheds water. "It's alright. It's not personal. It's a bit unpleasant, because it's tied to the war, but my Healer says I ought to talk about things so if you want to know I'll tell you."

Hermione hesitated, and glanced towards Harry. He looked curious, too. She nodded. Sirius sighed, looking haunted, and Hermione wished he wasn't hurting but she was also desperately curious. If he'd said no, she'd have accepted it, but he didn't say no.

"It wasn't common knowledge that we were married, until my retrial," Sirius eventually said. "Voldemort and his Death Eaters were targeting Light-side triads as much as they targeted muggle-burns, and more than they targeted other groups. It wasn't safe to be a triad, but we loved each other so we married in secret. It wasn't until Lily was pregnant with Harry that they announced their marriage. We decided together to announce them as a couple because James was Harry's first father, and because his parents accepted her when mine never would have. I come from a family of violent blood purists. One of my cousins was one of Voldemort's most feared Death Eaters. Only the resistance group we fought in and James' parents knew the truth of our marriage. We didn't know yet, then, that we were being betrayed. We weren't the only triad that the traitor told Voldemort about."

"I'm sorry," Hermione said quietly, her heart aching.

Sirius shook his head, more slowly this time. "James and Lily, and later Harry, were the best thing in my life in a bad time. It hurts that they died, it'll always Hurt, but I don't want to never talk about them. You and Harry deserve to hear these stories. James was your godfather, did you know?"

Hermione's breath caught, and she shook her head. Her birth parents hadn't said anything about godparents, yet. Emboldened by the information, she continued. "Why are your names different?"

"If it were safe, I'd have gladly taken the Potter name. As I said, my family were horrible. I ran away from them to live with James, Fleamont, and Euphemia when I was sixteen. Even though I couldn't change my name to Potter, I didn't want Harry tied any closer to them than I had to, so that's why his name isn't hyphenated. My little brother, also a Death Eater, was expected to inherit the Black Lordship after I ran away, but then he was killed and I got it by default. My grandfather and mother were still alive when I was sent to Prison so it didn't mean much at the time but now that I'm the Lord, Harry is Heir."

"And because he doesn't have your name, introducing him takes twice as long," Hermione said with a teasing smile. Even though they were still discussing heavy topics, Sirius was starting to look lighter and she didn't feel so bad about bringing it up anymore. Carefully, she set her book aside and allowed herself to listen as Sirius continued to talk about the family he'd made for himself - Harry's family, which she was quickly realizing was closely tied to her own.

 

Hermione stayed for dinner at the manor that night, and decided she was going to ask more about her own family. She remembered the ink blotch on the list, and knew her mother and father wanted to teach her this. She wasn't sure what held them back, but she was going to open that gate.


End file.
